Get to know Andile Mngxitama

What is your political background? How did you come to join your political party and become an MP?

I was politicised as a high school learner in Potchefstroom. I then became the National President for the high school political formation the Azanian Students Movement (AZASM), which was affiliated to Azanian People's Organization (AZAPO). I thank the late Bassie Gugushe who mentored me in the philosophy of Black Consciousness of Steve Biko.

What does your job as an MP entail? What impact do you hope to have?

MPs generally provides oversight in the executive. Part of the instruments of holding the executive accountable include questions, motions and debates. A more effective mechanism is oversight visits where parliamentarians can observe on their own, the work of the executive. A less used instrument is petitions and members private bills.

What are your thoughts on the government of national unity (GNU) for the Seventh Parliament? Firstly it’s not a Government of National unity, it’s actually a grand coalition, which is ideologically led by the racist and pro-white capital Democratic Alliance. The ANC shall be punished by the voters in 2026 and 2029.

What can be done to get citizens more interested/ involved in Parliament?

Firstly, there must be more public awareness campaigns to educate the public on the available instruments for participation including petitions. MPs must also engage the community through constituency work and take issues from the ground and put them to the House and Committees.

Which Constituency Office/area have you been assigned to?

My constituency area is in the Gert Sibande region in Mpumalanga.

Can you give examples of Constituency work you engaged in or plan to do?

The key challenge in the area is farm dwellers evictions. We have intervened in an unlawful eviction in Standerton. I have written to the Department of Land Affairs in Mpumalanga asking for their intervention. I have visited the farm workers facing the eviction.

What will you and your party be focusing on during your term? (will you introduce legislation, will your oversight focus on any specific area etc…)

MK is planning to return the land expropriation without compensation process back to parliament before the end of the year.

What are you passionate about? This applies both in the political/ professional arena and personally?

I’m a keen follower of Steve Biko’s ideas and I’m encouraging a black consciousness ethic inside our party in line with President Zuma’s political philosophy of Ubuntu and indigenous knowledge systems.

What is your message to South Africa?

We need a new revolutionary process based on black love to return the land and economy. Blacks are like refugees in their own country. Fifty-five million of us are poor in a country endowed with massive mineral resources. We need a just dispensation to address these injustices and poverty